Resolution on development site

At a meeting of the full Parish Council on 17th January 2017 the Parish Councillors present considered an update from the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group. Since the last update, a CDC HER search (Historic Environment Record) has been carried out on the proposed housing development site: The Dairy (The Street, Plaistow), which did not highlight anything significant. An Arboricultural Impact Assessment (AIA) [AIA Report and Tree Constraints Plan] was also carried out, the purpose of which was to evaluate the direct and indirect effects of proposed development on trees and hedges on the site, and where necessary to consider appropriate mitigation. The report states that four ‘A’ grade trees (T1, T2, T4 and T5) are of high value, two of which are located adjacent to the frontage on The Street. Technically an access road could be created but would have to be a low impact, no dig access which is not deemed suitable to service a development of 11 houses requiring a road constructed to Highways adoption standards.

The landowners of The Dairy site have since advised that there is a potential alternative access further South, although the land over which they have private access rights (for field maintenance) is not in their ownership and is also a Public Right of Way (Path Number: 633; Type: Restricted Byway). The possible secondary access point is located between two properties (Mission Hall and Chumleigh – formerly known as Kimbers) on Rickman’s Lane. Therefore the Parish Council agreed that it was for the landowner to demonstrate viability of the site in relation to access and they would be given the opportunity to provide this information by the end of January 2017 this was extended as a courtesy into February.

It has since been confirmed that land needed for access into The Dairy site is owned by the National Trust. This therefore becomes an issue of whether development of the site is achievable as The Dairy site landowners must obtain agreement from and then negotiate with the National Trust for access over that land and in a timely manner to permit the Parish to deliver on its housing allocation according to Chichester District Council’s Local Plan, their Site Allocations DPD and to meet their five-year housing supply. Consequently, there are doubts over the achievability of The Dairy site.

Subject to the foregoing, the Councillors resolved to move forward with the Reserve site: Land Opposite the Green, Common House Road, Plaistow (with a site size of 0.8ha) to request a Screening Opinion from Chichester District Council prior to proceeding to a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA). Therefore with reference to the NPPF paragraphs 021 and 022, and the Parish Council’s decision, the Steering Group are bringing forward the site: Land opposite The Green into the Draft Plan. Revisions are now underway on the current version of the Draft Plan and this will be submitted to Chichester District Council for a new Screening Opinion with the statutory bodies – Natural England, The Environment Agency and Historic England. Following this it is likely the Parish Council will conduct a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of the Draft Plan.

Representations on the Draft Neighbourhood Plan may be made during the next Public Consultation (referred to as Regulation 14, as per the Town and Country Planning Act) which will run for six weeks from the date on which it first publicised. As yet no date is scheduled for Regulation 14 Consultation because work is still ongoing.

If you have any comments on this process please write to the Parish Clerk, Mrs Beverley Weddell, Lock House Lodge, Knightons Lane, Dunsfold Surrey GU8 4NU

Plaistow & Ifold Parish has funding and technical support from My Community and Locality who deliver programmes of grants on behalf of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) in collaboration with their partners. www.locality.org.uk www.mycommunity.org.uk www.groundwork.org.uk